Filmmaking students win Royal Television Society Awards

Students from the University of Plymouth have picked up three of the main regional prizes
Royal Television Society student award winners from the BA (Hons) Filmmaking couse
Students from the University of Plymouth have picked up three of the main prizes at a regional event run by the Royal Television Society (RTS).
Studying on the University’s BA (Hons) Filmmaking course, the winners triumphed in ‘Factual: Short Form’, ‘Journalism’ and ‘Saving the Planet’ categories at the RTS Devon and Cornwall Student Television Awards.
The awards are open to students from universities and colleges across the two counties, and the success comes in only the second year of operation for Plymouth’s BA (Hons) Filmmaking course.
The winners will now go on to be judged again for the national finals, hoping to make the shortlist for the event in June.
Students from BA (Hons) Filmmaking accepting award at the Royal Television Society Devon and Cornwall Student Television Awards 2024
Students from BA (Hons) Filmmaking accepting award at the Royal Television Society Devon and Cornwall Student Television Awards 2024
Students from BA (Hons) Filmmaking accepting award at the Royal Television Society Devon and Cornwall Student Television Awards 2024
Students from BA (Hons) Filmmaking accepting award at the Royal Television Society Devon and Cornwall Student Television Awards 2024
  • Graduate, Tom Box won the Factual: Short Form prize for his documentary, Dancing Minds. He created the work created during the Film Production module, and was recognised by the judges for his sensitive treatment of mental health and body image issues and use of evocative sound and imagery.
  • Olin Quigley Daly and Kian Radford won the Journalism award with the second year BA (Hons) Filmmaking Common Challenge piece DISC. The piece documents the work of a grass roots charity based in Newquay, Cornwall, which works to mitigate the effects of poverty. The film is a sensitive portrait of a small but life-changing and community-creating organisation, highlighting important contemporary issues affecting many in the UK today. 
  • Mallika Dawar, Yulia Weir, Finley Lake, Simona Pedrali Noy, Reuben Davy and Tripti Shukla won the Saving the Planet Award with The Potential of Crab Aquaculture. The film documents the work of a research project led by the University of Plymouth Marine Institute, focusing on how small-scale farming of freshwater crabs can become sustainable food for people in south Asia. 
  • In addition to the main categories, Elliot Barry won the best Cinematography Award with the judges noting the excellence of vision and execution of powerful shots that brought an epic tale to life in Exodus a Film Drama created during the BA (Hons) Film Production module.

These students are the future of the industry, and we are so proud of what they’ve achieved.

Notwithstanding their success in winning awards, those who were shortlisted turned up the to the event at the Barbican Theatre and presented themselves brilliantly. 

Allister GallAllister Gall
Programme Lead for BA (Hons) Filmmaking

Having a RTS award adds real currency to a student’s degree as it’s the industry’s gold standard of achievement.

Employability is a key consideration for anyone in higher education, and this will undoubtedly help our students in their future careers. While not involved in the RTS judging process, I know how high the standard of entries was, so it was wonderful to see our students do so well. 

Linda WardLinda Ward
Lecturer in Filmmaking and part of the RTS Devon and Cornwall Committee

The regional success comes in addition to national accolades for BA (Hons) Filmmaking graduate, Catherine Otyehel. 
Her 2023 third-year film Picking Glue was named best film in screening 3 at Eat Our Shorts student film festival, and earlier this year was selected to be part of the prestigious National Association for Higher Education in the Moving Image (NAHEMI) National Student Film Awards.
Competing against entries from universities all over the UK, Catherine’s film was selected as runner-up for the Sound Award. 
still from short film Picking Glue by Catherine Otyehel
Filmmaking student using camera